The Power of the Grid

The Power of the Grid

Both budding and expert designers know how important a layout is to design. It’s the most basic and fundamental element of every project. Grids help ensure a consistent framework to organize graphic elements, like type and images, into a hierarchy. If you want to use a grid, or break it altogether, you have to first understand the basics of a grid system.

A grid is an approach to laying out a design. A grid is made of up of horizontal and vertical elements and modules that create a structure for your work. Because grids create a system, they can help a designer ensure that a layout is balanced and has a good sense of proportion. In your final design, a grid will help with readability and clarity, even though the grid will be invisible to the untrained eye.

History and Popularity

The grid system was popularized by the Swiss style of graphic design, which debuted in the 1940s and 1950s. The Swiss style is recognizable by its use of sans-serif type, primary colors and grid layouts.

Breaking the Grid

Once you know how a grid system works, you can start to play within it. While a grid may seem overly strict or formulaic, it will give your design structure and clarity. Like all good rules, breaking a grid is more fun if you know the impact you’ll make!